Twenty-nine thorns

  Gu Yun returned home, not looking for anyone's trouble, but instead got stuck on the second house and wouldn't let go. Everyone present was intelligent, so to some extent, they all had a mindset of watching the excitement.

  The fourth wife sneered in a low voice: "It seems that our noble lady still hasn't forgotten the things from fifteen years ago."

  The fifth lady covered her mouth with a handkerchief and gave Gu Man a sly glance: "I heard that our second brother promised to marry one of his daughters to Auntie, judging from Auntie's resentment, this marriage must have been settled."

  They all knew Gu Yun's temper, the more they hated him, the more they wanted to grasp and torment him in their hands. This time it was either Gu Zhao or Gu Man, Gu Yun would definitely make one of them suffer.

  The green jade and Yu Shu came in at the right time to ask if they had served dinner, Old Lady Gu nodded with a bad face, and looked at where Gu Yan was with another deep meaning: "I'm sure you're hungry by eleven, and don't even have the strength to pick up a hairpin."

  Gu Yan's face turned bright red as she stood up, looking at Wang Shi with a mixture of unease and awkwardness.

  Wang said to mediate: "I think the seats are also ready, and it's not easy for Auntie and Uncle to travel far. Why don't we go to the side hall?"

  The crowd then moved to the side hall, which was now separated by twelve fans with a hundred butterflies and flowers screen. On the east side were two tables for men, on the west side were three tables for women, and in the middle, led by Gu Boxuan and Gu Boqi brothers, was Lu Mo's table.

  The ladies swarmed around Old Lady Gu, thronging in. The twins, who normally followed her everywhere, had nothing to do this time and couldn't help but feel a bit downhearted. Gu Qing just couldn't stand them being so happy, so he deliberately turned to Gu Lin beside him and smiled: "Sixth sister, have you smelled the vinegar? It's not that the vinegar bottle in the kitchen has been knocked over, is it?"

  Gu Yun glared at her fiercely and lightly pointed to Gu Man who was listening to Gu Xin with his head down, then gave Gu Jin a signal.

  Gu Jin nodded in understanding and waited for Gu Man to approach, then quietly stretched out her foot and tripped her. Gu Man was caught off guard and stumbled straight towards Gu Qing.

  Gu Qing was knocked over by Gu Man's sudden push, and she stumbled backward several steps before losing her balance and falling to the ground. In a daze, she saw that all the adults in the room were looking at her with some anger, even her usually loving father, Gu Bo Xuan, had furrowed his brow at her.

  Her eyes turned red, and she pointed at Gu Xing who was leaning against the railing to steady herself, accusingly saying: "It's her! It's Ninth Sister who pushed me!"

  Gu Jin looked at Gu Qian with a pleased expression, and the two of them stood together in tacit understanding.

  Gu Yun didn't wait for others to speak, and coldly laughed: "Second Aunt really taught a good daughter!"

  Wang's face turned bright red in an instant, but she still didn't forget to make excuses for her daughter: "I suppose it was just too crowded earlier and she wasn't paying attention, Ah Man isn't that kind of person."

  "Shut up!" Gu Boqi, who was originally on the other side of the screen, suddenly stood up and scolded her, then turned his head to glance at Gu Man, sneering: "Where has all the filial piety you've been taught gone? Was it eaten by a dog? It's all because your mother has spoiled you! Don't you apologize to your fourth sister?!"

  How can he humiliate himself in front of so many people like this? Is Gu Boqi stupid or what?

  Gu Man sneered in his heart, he was probably thinking that the responsibility lay entirely with his wife and daughter, so he could get away with it.

  Mrs. Wu was a vengeful person, and at this moment she naturally didn't forget to take advantage of the situation, hurriedly exclaiming "aiya" as she pulled Gu Qing up, sighing: "Fourth young lady, you too, why did you go and offend your ninth sister? Who in our household doesn't know that your ninth sister is the most favored one? Just a few days ago, even our own Da Ge was beaten, what are you afraid of, when did you offend your ninth sister? Don't you quickly apologize?"

  Gu Boqi glared at Wang Shi and scolded: "Wicked woman! How did you raise such an unfilial and disobedient daughter?"

  Wang's face was burning with shame, and he wished he could find a hole in the ground to hide his embarrassment. However, looking at his daughter who was stunned and didn't know what to do, he still raised his neck to defend Gu Man: "Sir, Ah Man has always been sensible, how could she do such a thing? Although I am incompetent, I am also from a good family, and I dare not be called a poisonous woman!"

  Just as everyone was arguing, Gu Xin's voice, as soft as a mosquito, rang out: "I just saw Thirteen hit Nine with her foot, that's why Nine rushed towards Fourth Sister."

  Gu Boqi was stunned, while Wang's expression was one of injustice being rectified, and she looked at Gu Xin with some gratitude.

  Gu Man couldn't help but glance at Gu Jin with a cold smile, saying lightly: "Auntie must have asked the wrong person just now. It seems that Fourth Sister offended not me, but Thirteenth Younger Sister instead. Last time, Eldest Brother rushed into Mingyue Building without any reason and scolded me severely. This time... Auntie, I'm afraid Twelfth Younger Sister and Thirteenth Younger Sister won't come again tomorrow, oh?"

  Gu Qing heard this and naturally had a plan in mind. Although she resented Gu Man, she also didn't like the twins, so she leaned against Fan Shi with a pitiful expression: "The 12th and 13th sisters are still young, it's normal for them to be mischievous sometimes. Grandmother, this time they were just lightly scolded, let's just forget about it?"

  What's going on? Were there many times before this? Just now, everyone was looking at Gu Man with eager eyes, but suddenly they all shifted their gaze to the twin sisters.

  Old Mrs. Gu coughed heavily and scolded, "What's all the commotion? Can't even have a peaceful meal without causing such a ruckus! Look at yourselves, do you still have the demeanor of respectable ladies?" She glanced at Fifth Wife and said, "If you can't handle both household chores and teaching the girls, then let Second Sister take over the duty of making medicinal soup. From now on, Jin'er and A'lian are not allowed to leave the house, they must stay in their room and copy out the 'Admonitions for Women' a hundred times."

  This was the final verdict, and Wu's wife felt wronged, her eyes reddening with tears that welled up but didn't dare to fall, so she could only look at her husband who stood up behind the screen with a wronged expression.

  The atmosphere in the room was a bit dull for a moment, and Lu Yuran smiled and went to help up the two twins who were already kneeling on the ground. "It's not a big deal," she said. "I often tease my brother at home too. Brothers and sisters are all close relatives, where is there any reason to hold grudges? The two younger sisters must have just been being naughty for a moment. Grandmother, let's hurry up and eat."

  Old Mrs. Gu looked at Gu Boqi with a loving smile and said, "Don't be in such a hurry! You're making a big deal out of something small, and your wife and daughter will blame you for it."

  Wang's family was busy pulling Gu Man and repeatedly said they didn't dare.

  The fifth wife gave a resentful glance at Gu Xin, and then looked at Gu Man with an expression that seemed to devour her.

  "Fourth sister, I was wrong just now. I wasn't careful with my feet. Please forgive me this time."

  Gu Qing hurriedly laughed and drank, then said with a different tone: "Don't say that, we're just unlucky. Who made us offend people we shouldn't have offended?"

  Mrs. Wu's face turned even redder, and the twins also stared at their toes, not daring to speak.